


The one with Tony Stark

by AnythingElse



Series: Adventures of Bucky the College Student [4]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Art, Backstory, Charity Auctions, Flashback, M/M, Slow Build, Stark Industries, Tony Stark Has A Heart, but really excited to move it forward at last, trying to flesh out this story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-25
Updated: 2018-05-25
Packaged: 2019-05-13 15:04:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,166
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14751149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnythingElse/pseuds/AnythingElse
Summary: How Steve Rogers became friends with Tony Stark.(I'm trying really hard to move this story forward, but afraid of doing it too quickly and making it jump around. Am I moving too slowly?? Feedback welcome! I'm trying, but I'm super new at this.)





	The one with Tony Stark

The evening finds Bucky & Steve sprawled out on the older man’s couch eating pizza, laughing, and talking about everything. Despite it being one of the more serious conversations they’ve had, Bucky is enjoying himself immensely. After the pizza had arrived, food had trumped the need for as many words. Now, the two sat facing each other doing more of a fun rapid fire Q&A. 

 

“When is your birthday?”

“July 4th. Yours? What made you pick graphic design?”

 

“March 10. I used to do photography and yearbook in high school. I taught myself photoshop and loved everything about it. When I found out there is an entire industry that revolves around digital imagery, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. How do you know Tony Stark?”

 

Steve laughs quietly as he takes a swig of his beer. He seems to be deliberating, and Bucky wonders how much there is to their backstory. “Just so I know where to begin, how much do you know about what I do?”

 

Bucky blushes and ducks his head. He doesn’t want to come across as uninterested, he just had wanted to know more about the Steve who drank Root Beer and watched Disney movies. Now that he thinks about it, though, Steve’s work is a huge part of who he his and Bucky has neglected to show the proper interest. The torment must have shown on his face because Steve is next to him in an instant. One hand on his shoulder, rubbing him consolingly, while the other cups his chin. Easing his chin up until grey blue meets icy blue, Steve gives Bucky a very stern look. “No. Don’t you go feeling guilty for caring about me. You are the first person in a very long time who has not obsessed over my work. Too many people have treated it as a burden or an accomplishment. You are the first person who skipped past what I do and wanted to know who I am. It took me by such wonderful surprise and  _ please _ , Bucky” Steve’s eyes are pleading and demanding and so full of emotion that Bucky is taken aback. “Please, don’t take that away from me.”

 

Gulping and trying to find his voice, Bucky finally tentatively responds. “I googled S.H.I.E.L.D. the first time I saw you at the Red Room. I had noticed the business name on your credit card, oh God, please don’t get me fired, so I googled it trying to see who you were. I found the website and looked around a bit, but couldn’t find you. When you gave me your business card, I had your email, so I didn’t need to do the creepy stalking thing to find you.” He gives his best bashful smile and Steve grins back. 

 

“Ok, it’s kind of a long story, but let me try and summarize how Tony Stark came into my life. Honestly, we didn’t get along at first. I met him, for the first time, when I was still in high school. For my senior project, I decided to do a smear campaign of sorts… against Tony Stark and Stark Industries. I titled the project ‘Stark Raving Mad’ and based the campaign on his public drinking habits, utter lack of social etiquette, and non community-friendly business structure.” Steve pauses, with a sad smile on his face.

 

It’s obvious that he still feels guilty about how he viewed his friend. Bucky is a little confused, but he doesn’t want to interrupt. Stark Industries is the poster-child for community involvement. They have revolutionized clean energy, provided outreach programs for people in need, and they employ over 10,000 people through their different affiliates. One of their biggest charity groups, the Maria Stark Foundation, holds an artist’s exhibit & auction each year that raises over a half a million dollars for scholarships. Each year, they announce the theme with a series of artworks that begin precisely 6 weeks before the event. Every piece of marketing created for the event is a masterpiece in itself, with new pieces revealed each week leading up to the event. Each artist’s submission is registered & displayed anonymously. During the showcase, all art pieces are part of a silent auction. The event ends with a huge live auction when the original artwork provided for the marketing campaign is auctioned off. The artist, an anonymous genius who goes only by ‘The Captain’, is never introduced. But his paintings alone have previously made over $100,000 for the collection. 

 

Steve continues his story, and all thoughts of the competition leave Bucky’s mind. “Here I am, 17 and headstrong, confidently creating a smear campaign against the world’s richest man. So when the man himself contacts me for a meeting, I agree without hesitation. We meet at a small coffee shop that is eerily deserted and  _ now _ I realize it’s because he bought the whole thing out for a meeting. And Tony Stark himself asks me if I’d be willing to come work for him. He hauls out this briefcase and it’s full of charity ideas, outreach programs, and everything I had slandered him for not doing. He tells me that I inspired him, but he can’t do it alone. He asks if I’ll come work for him and lead his team ‘towards a brighter future.’ He tells me how he isn’t the person the media portrays him as and that he wants to change the world.”

 

Bucky is  bug-eyed, he can feel it. But how else to you respond to this story?! He knows that Steve is pausing for dramatic effect, but he gives in anyways. “What did you say?!” 

 

“Well, naturally, I turned him down. I told him that I wasn’t going to be the poster-boy helping him shine his bloodstained armour. And then I left.”

 

“Wait. You what? You left? Why?” 

 

Steve only grins at Bucky and continues his story. “I got up, handed him one of my ‘Stark Raving Mad’ posters, and left. You have to remember, Tony comes across as an arrogant asshole, even when he is asking for help. I was 17 and determined to see him as the bad guy. I wasn’t going to let one meeting change my whole perspective. Anyways, fast forward to my second year of college. My ma had already passed away and I was struggling to make ends meet. I was living on my friend’s couch and only eating twice a week. You know that point where you start googling how much your organs are worth?” Bucky nodded enthusiastically, but said nothing. 

 

“Well, I was there. I was contemplating if I really  _ needed _ two kidneys and scrolling through Craigslist when I found an ad looking for an illustrator. The job seemed shady-- they didn’t want to know a thing about you, only wanted 3 very different samples of artwork sans signature. I emailed them, and they got back to me almost immediately. Apparently, I was taking over for someone else who walked off the job, which left me with 3 days to come up with and procure the perfect designs. It was incredibly abstract-- I was supposed to be coming up with 6 pieces of art that represented integrity. I was to be paid $150 for each successful piece I submitted, plus the opportunity for an additional $500 for converting the 6 images into a cohesive advertising campaign for an art gala. After I had submitted 6 works that they liked (and about a dozen they hadn’t) I was asked if I wanted continue working with them to turn the images into an advertising campaign. From the original contract I signed, I knew that saying ‘no’ allowed them to hire someone else to collaborate with my works, and I really didn’t want a stranger altering and defacing my works. After I agreed, I received a 5-page long NDA. Before I could overthink it, I signed it and returned it. Et voila, I received two folders in my inbox. One contained all the details about the upcoming charity and the other was all necessary logos for the contributors and hosts of the event.”

 

Bucky could not hold his tongue anymore. “Maria Stark Foundation. You were working for Stark Industries and you had no idea!!” 

 

Steve nods in agreement. “Yup! But I was too far into it to stop now. And once I read through the details of the event, I was a sucker for Stark. The event was in honour of his late mother, Maria Stark. She loved art and had wanted to encourage young artists everywhere to pursue their dreams. Of course, you can’t really work for someone like Tony Stark without him finding out who you are. He contacted me again and asked to meet. This time, we met like old friends. Turns out, half of my submissions’ feedback had been coming from the man himself. We talked for a few hours this time and he told me all about the projects that had come to fruition because of my defamatory remarks. While I felt ashamed for acting so rudely, he had nothing but praise and thanks for me. And, of course, he offered me a position within Stark Industries again. I knew that accepting it would cement my name in the art world. With his name on my resume, I would be able to do anything I wanted. However, I was…..and am, if we’re being honest…. Too stubborn to accept anyone’s help. So we came to an agreement. I would remain anonymous to the public and only work with Stark Industries as a freelance artist. Turns out, Tony and I make a great team. He can be a little grandiose, but his heart is always in the right place. It wasn’t long at all before we started meeting up outside the office.”

 

Bucky’s mind is reeling-- Steve Rogers worked with Tony Stark for their art benefits. He probably knows who The Captain is or, even better, has met him before. Still sorting through the barrage of info, Bucky asks “Have I ever seen any of your work?” 

 

Steve throws his head back and laughs. “I can pretty much guarantee that you have. Maybe one of these days, I’ll take you down to see S.H.I.E.L.D, if you’d like?”

 

Bucky agrees vehemently before word-vomiting out another question that is bothering him. “I know you guys are friends now, but…...before? Did you meet outside the office for, y’know, other reasons? Like, were you guys a...thing?” He’s not sure how to maturely ask the question, but it’s gotta be asked. Y’know, for science. And peace of mind. However, the shocked look on Steve’s face is reassurance enough for Bucky to to quelch the jealousy he was feeling.

 

“No! Never. Tony and I are friends who thrive on the challenge. We both enjoy pushing ourselves to our limits just to see how far we can go. We bonded over that-- as friends-- and nothing more. Also, I’m pretty sure he’s straight? He’s a shameless flirt, but I’ve only ever seen him with women. Well….woman. One in particular, but that ship has sailed.” 

 

After that, the conversation flowed easily between them. Bucky learned more about Steve and the company he built from the ground up when he was just 20 years old. Turns out, Steve had dropped out of college to start the company after failing the same class 2 years in a row because his work was not considered ‘real art’ and he refused to adhere to her strict guidelines of what is considered ‘art’. The day before his 20th birthday, he had walked out of the class and told her “have fun teaching all about ‘real’ art. I’m done. Five years from now and your students will be doing reports on me. You’ll never have a day where you don’t hear my name.” Steve covered his face with his arm dramatically as Bucky cracked up, picturing the posterboy of ‘well-behaved’ storming out of class.

 

The evening was perfect. They laughed, they shared painful memories, and they found out how much they have in common. Bucky is starstruck and cannot believe how lucky he got, snagging this wonderful man. Bucky tells Steve all about his family back home and his new family here. He talks about Natasha and Clint and Peter, and Steve talks about his friend Sam who has kept him sane throughout his whole business venture. Bucky learns that Steve is Bi (he mentions a woman he dated for almost 2 years) and Steve invites Bucky to visit S.H.I.E.L.D. during his next break. He agrees instantly and the two of them chat about his plans for break while they clean up the sitting area. It is past 10 PM by the time Steve drops Bucky off at his apartment. Just like last time, the older man walks him to the door and sees him off with a kiss. 


End file.
